Black and Grey
by fivel07
Summary: Set in an alternate scenario where James and Lily are alive but Harry is being brought up by a muggle family. Harry turns fourteen and the Potters plan on bringing him back to the wizarding world, but they are faced with an unexpected challenge. Will Sirius be able to bring his godson back? (Alternate universe, possibly dark Harry at some point, more Harry and Sirius interaction)
1. Chapter 1

Set in an alternate scenario where James and Lily are alive but Harry is being brought up by a muggle family. Harry turns fourteen and the Potters plan on bringing him back to the wizarding world, but they are faced with an unexpected challenge. Will Sirius be able to bring his godson back? (Alternate universe, possibly dark Harry at some point, more Harry and Sirius interaction).

* * *

Disclaimer:

Harry Potter and everything within the Harry Potter Universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. This is just a fanfiction and will in no circumstances ever will this be monetized in any way.

Prologue  
The air was thick with terror and mist. A raven-haired girl lay flat on the ground in that deserted alley. Her eyes tight shut and gasp of pain escaping from her thin lips. Even with her eyes closed, she could sense those hideous creatures drawing near. What did they want from her? What on earth were these things?

Just few miles away, from the corner of the street, the young monk gasped as he saw a dementor slowly bending over the young girl who looked as she was unconscious. Joshua knew they were about to perform what they called, 'a kiss'. He felt a surge of guilt as he realized that there wasn't anything he could do to save that poor girl. For one thing, he had been strictly forbidden to meddle in anyone's matters by his master, for another, even if he were allowed, he didn't have enough power to fight off such powerful magical creatures.

Joshua had no other option but to watch in horror as the creature lowered itself to kiss that girl. He bit his lips and closed his eyes; this memory was going to haunt forever. Few moments passed and Joshua finally opened his eyes. The silence around him was unnerving. As he opened his eyes, he was shocked to see that the dementor was still bending over that poor girl. How long was it going to take? He wanted to go near and look, but he was sure the dementors will be able to sense his fear and decide to suck out his soul as well. He was lost in his thoughts when he received the greatest shock of his life.

From the mouth of the fallen girl, several wisps of golden light emerged and engulfed the dementor that was trying to suck her soul. There was a strange sound and the dementor caught fire. Joshua was wise enough to realize that it wasn't real fire but mystical energy. The other dementors circled the burning dementor as it turned into grey ashes and dissipated. The dementors flew away, apparently, to report to whoever had sent them about the mishap.

Joshua automatically took few steps backwards as the girl stood up. He could see her straightening her clothes and turning her head to see her surroundings. Her eyes were red and glowing so he can see them from a good distance. A twisted smiled appeared on that girl's face as she said to herself, "Of course, a little kissy wissy doesn't hurt anyone." The girl disappeared, almost giving Joshua a heart-attack. For the first time in last few minutes, he finally knew what he should do now; run to his people and inform them that's it's happening already, that _they are back._

* * *

Sirius welcomed his childhood friend with a somewhat weary smile. Remus Lupin hadn't failed to notice this but he chose not to mention it and settled on the sofa.

Sirius ordered a house elf to bring them tea and sat on a chair facing his friend.

"So, what is that brings to this monster's lair, Moony?" Sirius sounded undoubtedly sarcastic. Remus sighed.

"I didn't assume you'd be still angry. And more than that, I didn't imagine you'd be mad at _me."_

Sirius and James had a row two weeks ago and weren't talking to each other since. Remus tried his best not to get involved but when Sirius seemed to be getting carried away, he had to step in and tell Sirius off for upsetting James. Remus really felt bad for James. He knew the effect living away from their only son was having on the Potters. Though they tried to act normal in front of their friends, Remus had always felt their pain in his own heart.

Sirius was glaring at him quietly. Remus wondered how was he going to react to what he was about to say. But he had to do it.

"Padfoot, listen, just forget about it, okay?"

"Yeah, right, that's what we're all supposed to do. Forget about things. About our enemies. Even about our children."

Remus shifted impatiently. It was a common knowledge that Sirius had never been able to get over Harry. It had been so difficult for Remus and James to stop him from going after Harry, or stalking him in his animagus form. He had always been against James sending Harry to live with that muggle couple.

"Sirius!" Remus was losing his patient, "This _is_ about Harry, so you better listen, and shut this _monstrous_ mouth of yours."

Sirius would've cursed Remus for repeating the same thing he had taunted him about few minutes ago. Remus had reprimanded him for having a monstrous mouth when he was arguing with James. Since he had mentioned Harry, Sirius was forced to listen.

"What about Harry?" He snapped nonetheless.

"Well, you know he's going to have his fourteenth birthday three months later."

"Thank you for reminding me that Harry will be spending one more birthday without us, with his fake parents, all thanks to you and Prongs." Sirius was spitting fire.

"No he's not." Remus said quietly.

"He's not what?"

"Not spending this birthday without us. We're going to bring him back."


	2. Black and grey chapter 2 - the beginning

Sorry the first chapter was kind of brief. I'll try to make up for the missing details this time.

Aaaaand...

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all the characters, places etc etc belong to J.K. Rowling. They're not mine. I wish Sirius was mine though.

* * *

Sirius reluctantly adjusted himself on the sofa. Lily had served tea and all of them were silently drinking it, and waiting for Dumbledore to arrive. Sirius was careful not to look at James, though he also made sure to give Remus a glare every couple of minutes. When Remus had told him that James and Dumbledore were planning on bringing Harry back, Sirius had been excited and incredulous at the same time. Just few years ago, on Harry's eleventh birthday, when he insisted that they should send Harry his letter to attend Hogwarts, Dumbledore had given him a lengthy lecture about how Harry's life was still in danger. They could not let Harry come in contact with the wizarding world, where many of his enemies were still lurking.

Sirius' eyes met James' for a moment and he felt his heart sinking at the look in his best friends eyes. He still managed to look angry and cold. Sirius wasn't going to forgive James for keeping his son away from all of them for so long. Sirius had always been the one to go after Harry, chase him from his house to school. Sirius suspected it was Dumbledore who made the muggle family move so Sirius cannot find Harry anymore.

Everyone looked up as Lily announced Dumbledore's arrival. The old wizard had just apparatated, and looked quite cheerful, contrary to everyone else in the room, as tension could be seen on their faces.

"I see everyone's already here. Good." Dumbledore smiled at them, taking the cup of tea that Lily was offering him and sitting down on a chair near the window.

Everyone held their breath and waited for Dumbledore to start speaking. He beamed at them and shifted his glances between Sirius and James, sensing the tension between them.

"Sirius!" Sirius almost jumped when Dumbledore unexpectedly addressed him.

"I believe you are the only one who's not aware of the situation we're facing. Since you've been cut off from your friends for two weeks, from what I've heard."

Sirius glared at Remus again, who just nodded his head.

"So, it's true?" Sirius couldn't stop himself from asking, "Are you really going to bring Harry back?" There was a hint of bitterness in his tone. Dumbledore knew he blamed the older wizard for separating Harry from his parents.

"Yes, Sirius, that is _true._ " Dumbledore scanned Sirius carefully, before looking at a pale James and Lily who looked as she was about to cry.

"We have been planning this since last two years." Dumbledore informed them, "The circumstances, however, were not in our favour. There was danger lurking around, and were are also facing some unexpected challenges, which we did not foresee when we gave Harry under his adoptive parents' care. But now, we cannot delay any longer. There have been events that indicate that Harry might still be in danger, at the very place he currently is." Dumbledore sighed, his expressions grew serious.

Sirius suppressed the surge of anger rising inside him and looked around at everyone. He had always said that keeping Harry in the muggle world cannot guarantee his safety. What the hell had happened?

"Well," James spoke this time, "As most people here know, especially the aurors, that there have been reports on dementors attack on a certain muggle village. The dementors kissed two villagers, both were teenagers. The ministry has been unable to explain this and they're mostly in denial. Of course, they're doing their best that this news does not get out."

"What has any of this to do with Harry?" Sirius snapped at James, though he had a hunch what the answer might be.

"This happens to be the very village Harry and his muggle family is living since last three years." James answered quietly.

Sirius' worst fears had been confirmed.

"It cannot be a coincidence that the dementors chose to attack a village where Potter happens to live." Alastar Moody grunted.

"Who do you reckon is sending them there, Professor Dumbledore?" Remus said.

"I have a theory." Dumbledore squinted, "Either, there is some kind of energy that is drawing the dementors to that village, dark or light, I'm not sure. Or the death eaters might be responsible for this behavior. Dementors, you see, are creatures of dark and they're more likely to side with Voldemort and his followers than with the ministry, or with us."

"I can't believe we needed all this to happen before taking Harry back from his fake parents." Sirius growled, looking directly at James. His eyes met Lily and he was sure that she shared the same feelings with him. James looked as if he wanted to give Sirius a blow in the head.

"No one here wanted Harry to live there," James looked hard into Sirius' furious eyes, "Not me, of all people. And you should know this."

Sirius felt guilty. He knew how hard it had been for James and Lily to let go of Harry for his own safety. He had been there to see his friends suffering from that emotional agony. This had just made him even bitterer about their decision. They didn't need to suffer like this.

"Let's stay focused on the issue we're facing right now." Remus looked at both of his friends and spoke calmly. Deep down, he really appreciated James for being so calm although he was the one who had been facing the agony of having to live without his only son. Remus felt angry at Sirius for acting so childish. He knew Sirius took his godson way too personal.

"So what are we going to do now?" Sirius' kept spitting fire, "Apparate in front of those muggle's house and say, 'we're sorry, but we gave you our kid mistakenly, and now we want him back.'"

"Sirius…"  
"Shut up Moony! Just tell me, how exactly are you going to convince a fourteen-year-old to desert the people who've brought him for those who sent him away when he was just a year old?" Sirius was shouting. James stood up, shivering from head to toe.

"Don't you understand, Padfoot?" He yelled, "We don't have time to repeat the debates we've been having for years. We all know that it's not going to be easy. We have been thinking on the same lines for years. It's not like we don't know how broken Harry will be after learning his truth. But _we had no choice then,_ and we don't have a choice now. He's in danger and we're doing all in our power to protect him."

Sirius still looked murderous but didn't say a word.

"Professor Dumbledore," Arthur Weasley faced the headmaster, "Sirius _does_ have a point though. Do you have a plan about how we're going to do this? I mean convincing Harry wouldn't be easy even if those muggles understood us."

"I understand your concerns," Dumbledore smiled warily, "And I don't deny that we're facing a huge challenge here. I assure you that you need to be least worried about Harry's adoptive parents. They know me well and there was a reason behind Harry being given to this particular couple. I cannot deny that Harry's feelings will get hurt, but this is something, as James has said, we knew all along. But this too, won't be a huge challenge. Mark and Tara, Harry's adoptive parents will talk to him about it. I've already sent them an owl, explaining to them the dangers that might be chasing him. Harry will also be fine, with time. The real challenge, however, is something else. And _this_ is why we need your help, Mr. Black!"

With these last words, Sirius was startled again as Dumbledore fixed his gaze upon his former student.

"I'm…I'm always ready to do whatever I can for Harry. Tell me what it is."

Dumbledore beamed at Sirius and asked him to see him in his office at Hogwarts the next day. He told Moody and Arthur to stay alert and station two aurors near that village.

* * *

Sirius apparrated exactly on the spot Dumbledore had instructed. He was standing near a lake, which was probably the Dowwelson Lake Dumbledore had mentioned. He muttered the spell taught by the headmaster and a thin, azure shield appeared which was covering the lake and the land that spread on the other side of it. This was a shield the aurors had created to block any dementors from entering this place. Dumbledore had told Sirius that this shield will not work for long as dementors have their own ways of fighting this kind of magic.

Sirius' head was still buzzing from the information he had received from Dumbledore. He had thought that the greatest challenge ahead of them would be convincing Harry and his _fake_ parents, but when Dumbledore confided in him few things that he believed were important for Sirius to know, he felt as if he had been thrown down from the astronomy tower.

Few minutes later, Sirius was inside Dowwelson Town, passing from a cheerful crowd of teenagers in front of a bakery. Sirius paused for a moment to look at the gang, wondering if Harry was there, but he didn't spot his godson. Sighing, he moved forward, but a voiced called him.

"Oy, newcomer!"

Sirius stopped dead in his feet and turned around. The teenager who had called him was short, blonde, and rather chubby.

"Yes?" Said Sirius, with a quizzical glance at the boy.

"Are you one of _them?_ "

Sirius flinched. _Them?_ Did he mean wizards?

"What do you mean?"  
"The theatre guys?" The boy grinned, "Are you an actor?"

 _Damnit!_ Sirius cursed himself under his breath. Why on earth did he forget to wear muggle clothes?

"I am not… yet… but I've come for an audition." Sirius was grateful for being a marauder.

The teenager shook his head as if he'd been greatly disappointed.

"Don't you think they'll let me in?" Sirius couldn't help amusing himself for a while.

"Only if you know some voodoo."

"W… what?"

"They're assholes." The boy blurted out, "Jacob here is such a good actor, but they kicked him out…"

"Hey, hey…" Sirius interrupted, "first out all, you shouldn't be cussing in front of an adult. Secondly, I don't have time for your stories. It was nice meeting, you… er…"

"James Rees." The boy grew strangely somber, "and you are?"

"S…er… Cyril Black. See ya later." Sirius grinned at the boy and stormed off.

Sirius was lucky that the address he was looking for wasn't too far away; he was getting annoyed by the glances of the villagers.

He looked up at the small house nervously and knocked. His heart was beating fast. Anytime soon he'll be meeting his godson… and his _fake_ parents, he added bitterly. He had developed a subjective hatred for the people who were raising Harry.

He had to knock for several times before he actually heard footsteps. The door was opened by someone who totally startled Sirius. It was a teenager who had to be close to Harry in age. Sirius gasped when he saw the striking resemblance that girl had with Harry. The same messy raven black hair, the same green eyes, though her nose was bit sharper than Sirius would have though Harry's might be, if he looks like James in his teens.

"Who are you?" The girl blinked at Sirius.

"I… wanted to see Mr. Boris Reid." Sirius managed to tell her.

"Dad is not home." She said and shut the door.

"Some surly teenager." Sirius muttered and started tapping at the door again.

* * *

Hope you are all doing good. Sorry for the late update and the bad writing. Have been really caught up.

Reviews are more than welcome.


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